Recollection of a Journey


Dear Eugene,

My daughter passed her driving road test yesterday.

She is a cool cat, playing her guitar, singing, right before the test, song of trust, trusting God, I heard.  I hope I know how to stay chilled like her when it gets hot.

During the one-year journey leading up to yesterday, this father was feeding on words of encouragement and wisdom from friends and family, even strangers.  Even the night before the test.

I first got the idea of not putting her through formal driving class from a family, five kids, a father, a mother, all down-to-earth.  A few months before my daughter was ready for her written test, I asked this father, It must have cost you a fortune to put all your kids, one after one, behind the wheel?  He said No, I taught them all.

There I saw a possibility that the rest of the world--my little world--was insisting on its nonexistence.  So I followed the lead of this father, inspired to see new things, to try old ways.

It was scary.  Of course it was.  Memories are made of this.

After the first two scariest months, one time when serving at church together, I told the oldest sister (still in her teens) of this same family, I think I will still put my daughter through driving school; maybe just a few classes.  I don't feel I have done good enough a job, and I don't want her to miss important stuffs.

The truth is I have then already gone through hours of online driving video myself and became a better driver for trying to be a good teacher, to not pass on my bad habits.  I've put in a huge amount of effort but still couldn't trust I have done good enough.

The sister asked me a few questions, painted herself a mental picture with my truthful description of how my daughter was doing well or not so well on the road, and she declared, I think she is ready for the test.

What confidence, from a teen!  How she uttered those words, I shall forever remember.  She exuded something so substantial, calmly full of weight, that in this day and age no one can expect from even a full-grown adult with decades of life experience under his belt.

Just for that one line of affirmation, even without this big sister actually seeing my daughter in real action, I decided Let's skip the class and go for the test.  She is ready.  And I think I am.  I hope.

I wished.

It is easy to speak good words when you know the ending is good.  The most meaningful stories are never so simple, that the ending would dictate the tone and nuance of everything before it.  There were still many twists and turns along this one year path, and I will tell you more later.

Yours, thankful, Alex

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